canton



R. J. CANTON.

BOTTLE CAPPING AND WIRE REMOViNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1920.

1 1,278. Patented June 14, 1921:

4 SHEETS-SH EET 1.

R. J. CANTON.

BOTTLE CAPPING AND WIRE REMOVING MACHINE.

APPLHZATION FILED FEB. 19. I920.

Patented June 14, 1921,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. J. CANTON.

BOTTLE CAPPING AND WIRE REMOVING MACHINE. I

' APPLHIATION FILED FEB. \9, 1920. 1,381,278.

Patented June 14, 1921.

Zvzverzior:

(ad 6y.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- R. J. CANTON.

BOTTLE CAPPING AND WIRE REMOVING MACHINE.

APPLICATIbN HLED FEB. 19 1920.

Patented June 14, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

alt;

,UIJNITED STATES "PA ENT OFFICE.

RoLLA Nn CANTON, or L YNN, MAssAcHUsn'r'rs ToaZZ whom it concern Be it known that I, HOLLAND J. CANTON, azcitizenof the United States, and resident ofLynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Bottle-Capping and lVire-RemovingYMachines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters onthe drawings representing like parts.

My present invention relates to bottle capping-machines, andniore particularly to a combinedbottle capping and wire removing machine adapted for use on milk bottles and the like. 7 V

In bottling high grade milk at the present day, it is customary; to not only cap the bottle'with the usual wax paper cap or disk, but also to further protect the contents of the bottle by placing a paper cup over the top of the bottle and hold such cup in place by a crimped metal ring.

With new bottles, the above method of procedure is comparatively simple and easily carried out. The main difficulty is in carrying out the method on bottles that have been previously cupped J and which therefore, after washing, must be refilled with milk and then recapped and recupped. When the milkv is-to be used, the outer cup and inner cap" are removed, the crirnped wire however, being left on the neck of the bottle. It is, of course, necessary that this Wire ring-be removed before thebottle can 'berecupped, and heretofore this has been done by an operator grasping a bottle in both hands and snapping the wire ring apart over a hook fastened to a bench or other convenient support. This operation is expensive. as it notonly occupies the time of a man,

- but results in considerable breakage, the

breakage averaging about twenty per cent. Also, this operation is dangerous, as due to thelarge breakage, the operator is freby devising automatic wire removing means that operates in conjunction with a bottle *"capper, and described and claimed in Patent capping-machine, such forexample, as the capping machine knownas the Milwaukee Specification of Letters Patent.

I BOTTLE-CAPPING AND WIRE-REMOVING MACHINE.

rate operation, or it may be used in combination with the capping machine, as above described, andas this use speeds up the work I Patented June 14, 1921. Application filed February 19, 1920. Serial N 0. 359,967.

The principal object of. my inventionb therefore, is an improved device for removwire rings from milk bottles and the 1 e.

Another object is the provision of an irnproved combined bottle capping and wire removing machine.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a capping machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view,

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation, showing a bottle in position to be operated on,

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation showing the bottle after the capping operation and with the wire ring removed,

Fig, 5 is a side elevation of the improved means for removing the wire rings, and

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of such im: proved means. 1 7

Referring to the drawings, 10 and 11 designate supporting posts, extending up- .wardly from a suitable platform (not.

shown) and 'adjustably mounted on said posts 10 and 11 is a bracket 12, clamping: screws 13, at either side thereof providingmeans for clamping such bracket in adjusted position.

.Slidably mounted in a vertical centrally locatedbearing 1 in the bracket 12 is a shaft 15, which extends upwardly from the bracket 12 a suitable distance, and down wardly to'an operating treadle (not shown). Fastened to the top of the shaft 15 by a pin 16 isla holding bracket 17, an additional fastening: means 18 engaging in a transverse slot in the shaft and held in position by bolt 19 and screw 20. Laterally extending arms 21 on the bracket 17 carry depending rods 23 slidable therein and prevented from falling out of said arms 21 by collars 24 pinned to the rods. Intermediate the ends of each therods 23, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. On

the rods 23, between the upper face of, the

bracket 25and the lower face of the bracket 1 21 is a coiled spring 27 the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. Slidably .mounted on each of the rods 23 is a frame 28 frame 28', or to the; right as viewed in Figs.

3 and 4, is a cap receptacle or magazine which is, parallel to the rod 23, and 1s adapted to hold aplurality of caps 53.

Attached to thellower face of the frame 28, but spaced apart therefrom a distance slightly greater than the thickness of abbottle cap 53,'is a member having a conical recess 33' in alinement with the chamber 29 and of such size and shape as to readily engage with andcenter the top of a milk bottle, and a tapered extension or cap supporting platform 34 which extends beneath and beyondthe cap receptacle, above referred to. This chamber is attached tothe frame 28 in any convenient manner, as by screws 35. On each side'of the frame 28 are guides 36 which engage in guideways 37 in the adjustable bracket 12.

Mounted for sliding movement longitudinally of the-cap supporting platform 34 are cross-heads 38- provided with top plates 39 of dimensions that permit them to move be,- tween the upper face of the member c0mprising the recess'33 and the cap supporting platform 34*, and the lower face of the frame 28, the end of such plate 39 being rounded, as shown at 40, to more readily engage with and feed a cap 53 from the cap receptacle 32 to the chamber 29. Links 41 are pivotally mounted at oneend on each side of the crossheads 38, the other end of'said links being pivotally'attachedto one end of one of the arms=of the bell crank levers 42, which levers are-pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the cap receptacle32. The other arms of thebell; crank levers. 42 are provided with an elongated slot43 in which works a stud 4:4-

on one end-of links 45,. the other ends. of which arepivotally mounted on the extremities of the laterally extending arms 26 of the bracket 25.

Pivotall'y mounted on the holding bracket 17 onthe-shaftLG are depending articulated wireremoving cutters 47, these cutters 47' being jointed at 18, the lower portion being curved andbeveled, as shown at 4:9 and 50V respectively, a leaf spring 51 attached to the lower portion and having a screw 52 engaging with the upper portion to adjust the tension of such spring, Thesecutters flex: tend downwardly, being held in operative position, by guideways in. the adjustable Y bracket 12 and conical recess 33, the guidewayuin the-recess 33 being such as to allow the lower or cutting end of the cutter 4:7 to

tionary until the capping head32-engageswith the bottom of-the chamber29; andduring this periodthe cross-head=38,x through the lin-kage42, 43', 4:5,, moves the plate longitudinally of the cap supportingpla form- 34, forcing the lower cap-ofthe pile of caps in the receptacle-or magazine 32 intothe chamber 29, the spring 271 being compressed during-this operation @ontinued upward movement. of the-operating post 15 moves-the conical recess BB -upward a sufficient distance to allow the' capped bottle to be removed.

Ordinarily in practice, the bottles are supported on a, rotatable table, and J are supplied tothe machine in pairs, but: as this feature of the machine does not concern thepresent. invention, it: has; not; been: described or illustrated. It issuflicient for thepresent purpose to know that aetarthis Sililg'QnOf the proceedings an additional. bottle or: bottles are supplied. to: the machine and occupy the position with respect thereto; shown inF-ig; 3, the wire tobe cut. and. removed being designated. Thet-readle: (notgshowir) isrnow. operated to lower the holding; bracket 11 and p arts .carniedrthereby; the cutter 17; en.- gaging with the upper side of the -bot.tle;.the

spring 51 and-joint 48 allowing; and main- .taining; it in; engagement, with: the. bottle.

As the frame: 281 is; lowered: simultaneously with the; cuttcli 4 7,.the conicalzrecess33 em gages with and holds-the bottle imposition,

and further downward; movement of the bracket 17 forces.- the curved and beveled end 49. and 50 .ofthe cutter fl between-the ring 55, and the; side of; the .bottle, cuttingand breaking; saidring: and throwing! it: off from thebottle. Simultaneously therod 23- forces the capping head: 30 against thezicap" 53 in the chambBrQQ; and intotheptopofthe bottle, as ShOWIlz in Fig. 4. During the; firsti part ofthe downward movement; of." the bracket 17 the. spring 27 foperatestoi; return the cross-head 38 and plate; 39*to the position shown in Fig, 3-.

While I have; shown: and, describedgthe; prefenred embodiment: of my. invention somewhatneces'sarily in detail, it is to. be: understood thatlmay varythe size, shape, and. arrangement ofi pants malsingr-up the device within, considerably wide limits. without departing from the spirit ofithe'inev vention.

' movable with remove used wire cup Having thus described my'invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of bottle capping means, and means for removing a wire cup holding ring from the bottle simultaneously with the operation of the bottle capping means.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with bottle holding means, of a reciprocatin cutter engaging with and respect to the bottle, whereby to engage, cut, and remove used cup holding rings from the neck of the bottle.

3. In a machine of the class described,the combination with bottle holding means, of a reciprocating cutter guide means therefor, a tensioning device or adjusting the tension of the lower end of the cutter in its guide, said cutter engaging with and movable with respect to the bottle, whereby to engage, cut, and remove used cup holding rings from the neck of the bottle.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an articulated reciprocating cutter, guide means therefor, a tensioning device for adjusting the tension of the lower end of the cutter in its guide, said cutter engaging with and movable with respect,

to the bottle, whereby to engage, cut, and holding rings from the neck of the bottle. I

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of brackets, a plunger slidably supported in said brackets, a collar adapted to engage with and position a bottle in operative relation to said plunger, a cap supporting platform, a cap receptacle open at its lower end supported at a slight distance from said platform, a cap carrying slide supported on said platform, a reciproeating operating member connected with and adapted to support all of the movable members of the capper, means connected with said operating member dependent on the resistance of the bottle when the bottle is in place beneath said collar for moving said cap carrying slide back beneath the cap receptacle, preparatory to moving forward a cap as the preceding cap is being forced by the plunger into the mouth of a bottle, means actuated by the reverse movement of said actuating member for carrying a cap forward above a bottle as said plunger is raised, and means operating simultaneously with said plunger for automatically removing a used wire cup holding ring from the neck of a'bottle.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a reciprocating member, a bottle holding means, guideways, an articulated wire cutting device pivotally mounted on and reciprocable with said member, adjustable spring tensioning means for adjustably holding the cutting end of said cutting device in engagement with the outside of the neck of said bottle, whereby to engage, cut, and throw off from said bottle a used wire cup holding ring.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ROLLAND J. CANTON. 

